• Title/Summary/Keyword: workers' health and safety

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Expert opinions on improvement of current food code related to hygiene management standards for cooked foods in restaurants (현행 식품접객업소 조리식품 위생관리 기준 보완에 관한 전문가 의견)

  • Ju, Seyoung;Kawk, Hyoseon;Hong, Wansoo;Kwak, Tongkyung;Chang, Hyeja
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.49 no.3
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    • pp.201-212
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    • 2016
  • Purpose: Needs for reevaluation of food code standards and regulations for cooked foods produced in restaurants and institutional foodservice to minimize risk factors leading to foodborne outbreaks are on the rise. The purpose of the study was to propose updated standards for cooked foods of restaurants by testing whether or not experts agree to include them as a standard. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative research methods were applied via a survey by email and workshop hold for experts panel discussions. Results: Seven newly proposed standards were selected as follows: (1) sanitizing vegetables and fruits with no heating process after washing, (2) rapid cooling of cooked foods after heating process, (3) monitoring cooking temperatures, (4) minimum 2 hours holding after cooking for temperature control of safety (TCS) foods without temperature control, (5) banning practices for workers such as bare hands handling of ready-to-eat foods, (6) maintaining cleanliness of food contact surfaces for disposable products, and (7) cold holding standards for sushi. Conclusion: The proposed proposal can be utilized as control measures for preventing foodborne illness in restaurants. However, a feasibility study should be conducted to test whether they are applicable to the field of restaurant operation.

Risk Assessment of 30 MeV Cyclotron Facilities (30 MeV 사이클로트론 시설 위험성 평가)

  • Jeong, Gyo-Seong;Kim, Chong-Yeal;Lee, Jin-Woo
    • Journal of Radiation Industry
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    • v.11 no.1
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    • pp.39-45
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    • 2017
  • A cyclotron is a kind of particle accelerator that produces a beam of charged particles for the production of medical, industrial, and research radioisotopes. More than 30 cyclotrons are operated in Korea to produce $^{18}F$, an FDG synthesis at hospitals. A 30-MeV cyclotron was installed at ARTI (Advanced Radiation Technology Institute, KAERI) mainly for research regarding isotope production. In this study, we analyze and estimate the items of risk such as the problems in the main components of the cyclotron, the loss of radioactive materials, the leakage of coolant, and the malfunction of utilities, fires and earthquakes. To estimate the occurrence frequency in an accident risk assessment, five levels, i.e., Almost certain, Likely, Possible, Unlikely, and Rare, are applied. The accident consequence level is classified under four grades based on the annual permissible dose for radiation workers and the public in the nuclear safety law. The analysis of the accident effect is focused on the radioactive contamination caused by radioisotope leakage and radioactive material leakage of a ventilation filter due to a fire. To analyze the risks, Occupation Safety and Health Acts is applied. In addition, action plans against an accident were prepared after a deep discussion among relevant researchers. In this acts, we will search for hazard and introduce the risk assessment for the research 30-MeV cyclotron facilities of ARTI.

Microbiological Hazard Analysis of Sundae (Korean Sausage) Made of Meat By-Products (식육 부산물을 활용한 순대의 미생물학적 위해 분석)

  • Cheong, Jin-Sook;Kim, Yun Jeong;Om, Ae-Son
    • Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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    • v.37 no.3
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    • pp.181-188
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    • 2022
  • Despite the recent increase in the consumption level of the processed meat-byproducts, the health and safety issue has consistently been raised in the processes of production, distribution and consumption. The purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate the microbiological hazard elements in the Korean sausage, "Sundae," to present not only the safety standard of meat by-product vendors based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point), but also the quality control criteria and sanitary arrangements of small manufacturers. For the study, the microbiological hazards in 24 raw materials, 7 manufacturing processes, 40 facilities and tools, 17 workplace environment, and 12 workers were analyzed. The analysis revealed the hazardous elements in the initial stages with 6.28 and 4.07 log CFU/g of total aerobic count and coliforms, respectively, detected from the porcine blood and 3.23 log CFU/g of coliforms from the porcine small intestines. The result also showed that the total aerobic counts and coliforms in the process of mixing and filling process exceeds the standards in the hygiene guidelines by Natick with the total aerobic counts of 5.23, 5.45 log CFU/g, and the coliforms of 3.25, and 3.31 log CFU/g, respectively. Although the detected total aerobic count and the coliforms in the filling and washing rooms exceeded the standards, it was found that the total aerobic count was significantly reduced by 98% after cleaning and disinfecting and no coliforms was detected in any process thereafter. In order to achieve high level of safety in the manufacturing processes of Sundae, the separation of washing and disinfection room from the other sections and the sanitation control of the workers must be preceded, along with strict monitoring in the storage and distribution processes. The study raises necessity for additional studies for the safety evaluation of the processed meat-byproducts and further researches on the validity of the critical limits.

A Study on International Trend and Korean Measures regarding Ship Recycling (선박 재활용에 관한 국제동향 및 우리나라의 대응방안 연구)

  • Yun, Jong-Hwui;Lim, Jae-Dong;Ha, Min-Jae;Park, Young-Nam;Gug, Seung-Gi
    • Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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    • v.33 no.3
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    • pp.221-226
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    • 2009
  • Guidelines on ship recycling are adopted internationally. UNEP adopted 'Basel Convention', providing Environmentally Sound Management(ESM) of facilities and recommendations. IMO adopted 'Guidelines on Ship Recycling', providing measures for worker's safety, how to control pollutant materials and the meaning of 'Green Passport'. IMO Convention (draft) is in progress. ILO adopted 'ILO Guideline', providing how to make sure safety and health for workers in shipbreaking. But Republic of Korea goes against the stream and there is much to be desired. At this point of time, we carried out a study on international trend regarding ship recycling, a plan to cope with international trend, and it is considered to be necessary to establish a special law on ship recycling.

Prevalence and Related Factors of Knee Osteoarthritis in Rural Woman (농촌지역 여성들의 무릎 골관절염 유병률 및 관련요인)

  • Kang, Pock-Soo;Kim, Seok-Beom;Lee, Kyeong-Soo;Yun, Sung-Ho
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.34 no.4
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    • pp.331-336
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    • 2001
  • Objectives : To assess the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis through proper diagnosis in a rural community and to elucidate the relevant factors of this health problem in order to develop educational methods for the prevention of female knee osteoarthritis as well to provide basic data for prospective research. Methods : Over a period of three months starting from August, 2000, 432 women over the age of 40 and living in a rural area were selected by a multistage cluster sampling method in order to investigate the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis and the related factors. The study utilized interviews and radiological examination. The criteria of knee osteoarthritis used was the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for osteoarthritis of the knee(1995). Results : The adjusted prevalence of knee osteoarthritis among the subjects was 55.0%, and multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratio(OR) of knee osteoarthritis among subjects 50-59 years of age and subjects older than 60 years of age as compared to subjects 40-49 years of age were 2.43(95% CI: 1.30-4.70) and 4.40(95% CI: 2.47-7.83), respectively. The OR of knee osteoarthritis among factory workers or farmers as compared to others was 1.79(95% CI: 1.03-3.12). The OR of knee osteoarthritis among subjects who had a family history and subjects who had knee injury or surgical history against those subjects had neither were 2.56(95% CI: 1.42-4.03) and 4.70(95% CI:1.45-15.19), respectively. The OR of knee osteoarthritis among smokers against non smokers was 0.47(95% CI: 0.22-0.97). Conclusions : Related factors of knee osteoarthritis included age, occupation, family history, smoking, knee injury and history of surgery In order to prevent knee osteoarthritis in high risked rural woman, education concerning self-care methods and safety guideline must be provided at the work place by the public and private health sectors. Additionally, these women should be continually encouraged to exercise, including jogging and swimming regularly.

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Risk Factors of Work-related Low Back Pain in Manufacturing Workers (제조업 근로자들의 작업과 연관된 요통의 위험요인에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, D.H.;Shin, H.R.;Chun, J.H.;Kim, Y.W.;Kim, J.H.;Lee, C.U.
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.26 no.1 s.41
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    • pp.20-36
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    • 1993
  • Work-related low back pain is one of the major factors that cause the loss of working power especially in actively working age, therefore controlling the work-related low back pain is one of the major issues in the field of industrial safety and health. This study was performed for detecting the risk factors and proposing the efficient control program of the work-related low back pain. The subjects were male workers employed at the manufacturing industry in Pusan with longer than 6 months' working duration. The data was collected by self-reported questionnaire and interview from May 1 to October 31,1992. The contents of questionnaire were as follows:. the experience of low back pain within the recent one month, general characteristics(age, marital status, education level, religion, regular exercise), physical characteristics(height, weight), employment status(working duration, daily working hours, rest during work, satis(action fur the job), type of work and working environments(posture, forward bending, lifting and movement, satisfaction for table and chair). The result was analyzed for 608 entire respondents by case-control comparative method. The number of cases was 152 with a history of work-related low back pain, so the relative frequency of self-reported work-related low back pain was 25.0%, and the number of controls was 344 without any history of low back pain. As a result, two characteristics of the employment status(working duration, satisfaction fur the job) and all characteristics of type of work and working environments showed a statistical significance between the case and control groups(p<0.01). The Oddb ratios of these variables for Work-related low back pain were calculated. They were 7.88 for the satisfaction fur chair, 7.86 for lifting and movement,3.31 for satisfaction for table, and 2.22 fur bending forward(p<0.01). And for the multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that unsatisfaction for table was independent risk factor for Work-related low back pain. In summary, though this study was based upon the self-reported questionnaire and the subjective complaints, the satisfaction for chair, lifting and movement, satisfaction for table, and bending forward concerned with the type of work and working environments were considered as the main factors causing the work-related low back pain, and the work-related low back pain may be preventable by the ergonomic control of these factors.

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Field Application and Evaluation of the ACGIH Hand Activity Level TLV® (ACGIH Hand Activity Level TLV®의 현장 적용 및 평가)

  • Kim, Boo Wook;Woo, Ji Hoon;Kang, Dongmug;Shin, Yong Chul
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.81-90
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    • 2006
  • The Strain Index(SI) has been commonly used to evaluate the musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) of upper extremities. Recently, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists(ACGIH) adopted the Threshold Limit Value for hand activity level (HAL TLV) focused on the hand, wrist, and forearm. The MSDs risks of 37 repetitive works conducted at an automobile climate control system manufacturing factory were evaluated using both the HAL TLV and the SI, and the results by two methods were compared. Also, measured repetitive frequencies of upper limbs joint were mesured using electromyogram and electrogoniometer. The evaluation results of the HAL were related with the repetitive frequency data of upper limbs joint by electrogoniometer, and the NPF was related with %MVC of ECU. The evaluation result of HAL TLV was highly related with the SI score(r=0.66, p<0.01). Of total 37 tasks, 25 tasks(67.6%) were exceeded the TLV and 34 tasks(91.9%) exceeded the SI limit. Although there was a high relationship between the HAL TLV and SI score, the HAL TLV underestimated the risk in comparison with the SI. The correlation coefficients(r) between the HAL TLV data and the repetitive frequency of upper limbs joint were 0.45~0.55(p<0.01). The MSD symptoms was significantly different between high risk groups and low risk groups evaluated by HAL TLV(p<0.01), but was not different between two groups by SI. In conclusion, the HAL TLV is a proper tool for repetitive works.

Case Report on the Activities for Cost Reduction and Performance Improvement in the Central Supply Room in A University Hospital (종합병원의 비용절감과 업무개선을 위한 중앙공급실의 활동)

  • Song, Kyu Nam;Song, Sun Ok;Hwang, Un Soon;Koo, Bon Up;Choi, Hye Sook;Lee, Sang Yun
    • Quality Improvement in Health Care
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    • v.6 no.1_2
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    • pp.150-160
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    • 1999
  • Background : Because hospitals had to faced with financial hardship, we have to have more effective hospital management. In this study, we tried to improve job performance and to reduce cost maintaining safety in fields of patients care. Methods : Central Supply Room(CSR) staffs taught strategy of material cost reduction to middle level managers and staffs 14 times. All staffs and voluntary service workers, working in 33 nursing units, participated in this activity. We developed questionnaire to check the degree of participate in cost reduction activity and job performance in CSR, and quality improvement in the wards. Two hundred questionnaires were distributed and 197 returned. Results : Because CSR staffs developed new items and every item was managed at each department, stocks of each department were reduced. Overall, by comparing before and after cost reduction activity, almost 1.2 billion won reduced for one year. Staffs' loyalty and spirits of cost reduction were improved by changing clothes and duty environment. Furthermore, these activity improved patients' satisfaction. Conclusion : We suggest that CSR activity in a university hospital contributes to improve job performance and to reduce cost without any problem in patient care.

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Industrial Fatigue and Low Back Pain of the Nurses in General Hospital (종합병원 간호사들의 피로자각증상과 요통)

  • Kim, Soon Lae;Cho, Tong Ran
    • Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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    • v.8 no.2
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    • pp.162-168
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    • 1999
  • To investigate industrial fatigue and low back pain, the questionaire survey for subjective symptoms of fatigue and low back pain was carried out 305 nurses in general hospital in Korea. Nurses participated to this study were divided into low back pain group(LBP) and control group, according to the self-reports by written questionaires. The subjective sysptoms of fatigue comprised three groups of 10 items each, representing dullness and sleepiness(level of cerebral activation), difficulty in concentration(level of motivation) and bodily projection of fatigue. The resultant data were processed for $x^2$-test, t-test to confirm the associations. The results were as follows: 1. 28 items of fatigue subjective symptoms exept two item, 'feel thirsty and 'feel ill', were directly associated with low back pain. 2. The percentage of fatigue complaint were significantly higher in LBP group than control. 3. Of the 30 items of fatigue subjective symptoms, the highest percentage was accounted for 'legs feel heavy', 'eye strain', 'feel stiffness in the neck or the shoulders' followed by 'feel like lying', 'whole body feels tired', 'feel a pain in the low back', 'feel drowsy' and in the order of sequence. 4. The average weighted score for the first group of fatigue items(dullness and sleepiness) was the largest among three groups and was followed by the second group(difficulty in concentration) and the third group (bodily projection of fatigue) in the order of sequence, suggesting the heavier mental and shift work stress of the female workers.

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A Study on Analysis of Component and the States of Measurement of Airborne Organic Solvents in Korea (우리나라의 공기중 유기용제 측정실태 및 성분분석에 관한 연구)

  • 원정일;신창섭
    • Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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    • v.14 no.3
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    • pp.139-149
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    • 1999
  • This study was performed to investigate components of organic solvents and present statues of environmental measurements with official records of working environmental measurements of 4,181 workplaces in 3,280 workshops used airborne organic solvents. 1. The mean working hour of 4,181 workplace producing airborne organic solvents in 3,280 workshops was 437±28.7min, but the mean sampling time for measurement of airborne organic solvents was identified to be 254±28.8min. In 73.0% of 4,181 samples the sampling frequencys were Full-period, single sample measurement. 2. The total 54 components of organic solvents were measured in total airborne samples of 4,181 workplace in 3,280 workshops in both of first and second half-year. These were divided into 38 components, Group 1 substances (5 components), Group 2 substances (31 components) and Group 3 substances (2 components), regulated by the Industrial Safety and Health Law, and other 16 components without legal duty of working environment measurement. The most common component in each half-year was Toluene (84.8%, 88.2%), which was followed by Xylene (464.4%, 51.7%), Methyl ethyl ketone (31.1%, 34.4%), n-Hexane (22.7%, 27.8%) and Benzene (20.4%, 21.5%) in frequency. Of legal duty free components, Ethyl benzen, Trimethyl benzene and Pentane were frequently detected. In conclusion, these results show that the present legal classification system of organic solvents needs to revise. Also these results suggest that it must be necessary to analyze the component of airborne organic solvents mixture and to evaluate their effects on workers' health for the effective management of working environment in workshops treating with organic solvents.

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